Cover for fruit-jars



(Modem W. .R. VAN VL-IET.

COVER FOR FRUIT JARS.

.No. 275,793. Patented A'pr.10,1883.

KQMM

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WARREN B. VAN VLIET, OF EAST STROUDSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

COVER FOR FRUIT-JARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 275,793, dated April 10, 1883.

Application filed February 23, 1883.

To all whom tt may concern:

Be it known that I, WARREN R. VAN VLIET, of East Stroudsburg, in the county of Monroe and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Covers for Fruit-Jars; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description ofthe invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, which forms part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in covers forfruit-jars; and it consists in the combination, with the fruit-jar or other vessel, of a cover of suitable material, a packing of ru bber, which is placed upon the top of the cover, a ring having a curved spring formed, as a part of it, and a bail carrying an eccentric or cam.

The object of my invention is to place the rubber upon the top of the cover instead of under it, as heretofore, and to expand this runber against the sides of the jar and upon the top of the cover in such a manner as to form absolutely a tight joint.

The accompanying drawing represents a vertical section of my invention.

A represents a fruit-jar or vessel of any kind, having one or more shoulders, B, formed inside of its mouth, so as to correspond'with the shape of the cover 0, which is placed therein. Upon the center of the top of this cover is formed a suitable bulge or projection, D, of any suitable shape or thickness, which adds strength to the cover and forms a handle for handling it. Upon'the top of this cover is placed a fiat band or gasket of rubber or other suitable expansible material, and which fits snugly inside of the shoulder G, formed in the mouth of the jar or vessel. Upon the top of this band of rubber or other expansible material is placed a metallic ring, H, which also (Modem fits snugly inside of the mouth of the vessel, and which has the curved spring I extending acrossits top. This spring is curved upward, so as to extend over the top of the handle which is formed on the top of the cover, and so that it will be acted upon by the cam-lever that is to force the ring down, and thus expand the rubber ring against the inner sides of the mouth of theja-r and form a tightjoint. After the cover, the band, and the metallic ring have been put in position, the bail J, having the bent ends, is made to catch under the neck of thejar or vessel, and then the cam-lever O, which is pivoted to the bail, can be raisedinto a vertical position, so as to bear upon the spring, and thus compress the rubber band between it and the cover. WVhen the cam-lever is turned into a horizontal position, no pressure is exerted upon the spring, and the bail can be slipped sidewise and removed. It will be seen that an elastic pressure is kept constantly upon the rubber while the month of the jar is closed, and hence if the packing should at any time shrink or become dried the pressure will follow down, so as to always keep a tight joint. By placing the rubber upon the top of the cover there is no necessity for the rubber becoming soaked with the juice of the article being preserved, and is not so troublesome and disagreeable to handle for that reason.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- The combination of the fruit-jar having a shoulder or shoulders, B, the cover 0, packingring Gr, ring H, spring I, and the bail J, carrying a locking-lever, substantially as shown.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WARREN It. VAN VLIET.

Witnesses:

HENRY S. BUsH, J. H. FETHERMAN. 

